Biddeford commemorates National Vietnam War Veterans Day

 A small group gathered Saturday, March 29, at Biddeford City Hall to commemorate National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Though a spring snowstorm kept some people from attending, those who made it to the ceremony witnessed a moving and somber ceremony. National Vietnam War Veterans Day is held on March 29 to mark the day in 1975 when the last United States combat troops departed Vietnam.

“We’ve gathered this morning to say one simple thing that bears great weight – Thank you for your service and welcome home,” said Mayor Marty Grohman, “May we never forget the service of our Vietnam veterans, and may we continue to be the kind of community that shows up for them.”

Community members gathered to commemorate Vietnam War Veterans Day in Biddeford on Saturday. PHOTO BY LIZ GOTTHELF

 

Raoul Goulet of the American Legion Post 26 read a list of local soldiers killed in action in the Vietnam War and Conrad Letellier, 1st Vice President of VVA Post 1044 and Service Officer for the Disabled American Veterans, read of list of servicemen from Maine still missing in action.

Biddeford native Don Chretien served in Vietnam War as a pilot in the Marines, flying 560 combat missions in 12 months. He said while his homecoming to the United States after his service was relatively quiet because he flew in at 1 a.m., some of his friends were greeted to people shouting at them and calling them “baby killers.”

“It just wasn’t a very good homecoming,” he said. “We just did what our country asked us to do.”

Chretien said for many years he said “hardly anything” about his service in Vietnam. He said the first time a stranger thanked him for his service was in 1990, twenty years after he had come home from Vietnam. He was at a play in Beverly, Massachusetts, and his car had Vietnam bumper stickers.

When he went back to the parking lot, he found a card on the windshield of his car.

 “I get misty about it, even today,” Chretien said, opening the card, which he still has thirty-five years later.

The card, signed by “a grateful American,” thanked him for the sacrifices he made to help keep our country safe.

He said now, people more frequently thank Vietnam veterans for their service, and it’s always appreciated.  

Retired US Navy Command Master Chief Gene Foster spoke about a relative who had been a radio operator in the Vietnam War.

“When he came back, he put it all behind him. He didn’t want to talk about Vietnam,” said Foster.

He said the person kept a low profile after coming back from Vietnam, threw out his uniforms, and decided to live life as a civilian.

“He was good at pretending, but it caught up to him,” said Foster.

This family member had been in relatively good shape, but developed heart problems which he died of, and which could be directly traced to exposure to agent orange, said Foster.

He urged anyone who had been exposed to agent orange to “suck it up” and seek resources from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and to see it as part of their duty.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.